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Co-operative Community Relationships

The BCICS is committed to bring together people and co-operative knowledge. We aim to ensure that our resources are made readily available to people interested in developing co-operatives. Locally, the Institute promotes co-operative models as options for meeting the economic and social needs of British Columbians.

We are proud to be involved with co-ops dedicated to serving their communities including organizations based locally, provincially, nationally and around the world.

Some highlights includes:

Each for All: The Co-operative Connection ~ Radio Show and Podcast

In 2006, BCICS began broadcasting Each For All: The Co-operative Connection on community and campus radio CFUV 101.9 FM. The show serves as an educational tool to promote learning, knowledge mobilization, and understanding about the Co-operative Movement and the Social Economy in Canada. The show mixes musical content with discussion about social awareness and co-operative themes. Each show features an interview with a prominent member of the community. Syndicated audio mini-series are available for download from the show’s website. The website also provides access to the audio podcast and supplementary information for each episode. (See http://bcics.uvic.ca/radio/)

Presentations and Conferences

BCICS staff, researchers and students are involved in communicating the results of their research and promoting the Institute and its objectives. During the past 7 years, BCICS has presented papers, participated in academic and non-academic conferences and meetings in more than thirty countries around the world. Below are a few recent examples:

  • Dr. Ian MacPherson has been invited to Latin America three times, Asia twice and Europe twice during 2005-2006 to present papers on co-operatives and to promote the activities of the Social Economy Hub.
  • At the Annual International Building Co-operative Futures Youth Conferences, Institute staff and students present on BCICS project activities.
  • Annie McKitrick, Project Manager for the Social Economy Hub, attended the 26th International Congress of the International Centre for Research and Information on the Public, Social, and Cooperative Economy (CIRIEC) held in Istanbul, Turkey. In October 2007, CSEHub hosted the 1st International Research Conference on the Social Economy in partnership with CIRIEC.
  • BCICS staff and students have presented every year at the annual Social Sciences and Humanities Congress. Staff and students have also presented at the Canadian Association for Studies in Co-operation (CASC) Conference held each year in a different university.
  • BCICS helped organize the Victoria Social Co-ops forum and the first Greater Victoria Co-operative Community Forum. These forums bring together community members interested in learning and sharing co-operative knowledge. Dr. MacPherson spoke about the history and achievements of the co-operative movement at the social co-ops forum.

Youth Co-op Zone ~ Building Co-operative Futures

In May 2003, BCICS hosted the 1st annual “Building Co-operative Futures Conference – A Forum for Young People.” The conference attracted over 70 people from a variety of countries, including: Canada, Colombia, Iran, Japan, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. BCICS set-up the Co-op Youth Zone website following the conference and continues to host the online information for the conference every year. The website also provides co-op-related introductory information as well as links geared to youth. Based on the success of the Youth Co-op Zone website, the International Labour Organization awarded BCICS funding to: further develop website resources, enhance the website communication capacity, and assist with the site’s integration into the Co-operative Learning Centre. We are pleased that others have taken up this initiative and youth conferences have subsequently been held in Calgary, Saskatoon, Manchester (England), and Guelph (Ontario). The conference in 2008 will be held in Vancouver. (For more information see http://bcics.uvic.ca/youthzone/).

Community Highlights

BCICS members are involved in the local community and actively support community projects whenever possible. BCICS technology staff created and manage two websites for local community projects: Victoria Co-ops (www.victoriaco-ops.ca) and the Victoria Days of Peace (http://www.victoriadaysofpeace.ca) websites.